Wear Orange This Friday — Here’s Why

Friday, July 1, 2016, is a day that Knoxville Pays It Forward is encouraging everyone to wear orange in memory of Pat Summitt and support of her family.

Pat Summitt died today, June 28, at Sherrill Hill Senior Living at the age of 64. Diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type, in 2011, Pat stepped down as head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols in 2012 after coaching 38 seasons and winning eight national championships and 1,098 career victories. In fact, Coach Summitt never had a losing season … never. Summitt had more wins than any Division 1 basketball coach. Her teams made with NCAA tournament every season. And, astoundingly, “Coach Summitt held a 100 percent graduation rate for all Lady Vols who completed their eligibility at Tennessee.” – utsports.com

Her son, Tyler Summitt, stated, “She’ll be remembered as the all-time winningest D-1 basketball coach in NCAA history, but she was more than a coach to so many — she was a hero and a mentor, especially to me, her family, her friends, her Tennessee Lady Volunteer staff and the 161 Lady Vol student-athletes she coached during her 38-year tenure.”

As a small tribute to Pat Summitt and what she did to raise the bar for not just women’s basketball, but for all women’s sports, wear orange this Friday, July 1. It is a small thing to do with a large visual impact. Wear your orange, and if you are so inclined to take a picture for social media, tag it #WeBackPat.

“While a lot of us are already wearing orange, we ask that you join us in wearing orange on Friday. Our goal is to make this global by turning the world orange in honor of legend Pat Summitt,” reads a post on the Knoxville Pays It Forward Facebook page.